


Free Day

by Lakritzwolf



Series: Flufftober 2018 [31]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 16:39:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16479143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lakritzwolf/pseuds/Lakritzwolf
Summary: It said Free Day in the prompt list but Alec definitely needs more free days so here we are.





	Free Day

It wasn’t easy at the best of times to persuade Alec to take a day off. Sometimes he came home on his last leg, and sometimes he was so exhausted that he didn’t even make it home anymore and slept in his office.

He had a couch and it was fine, he said.

To Magnus, it was most definitely not fine. 

But since Alec seemed to believe he was the only capable person in the whole Institute, he balked at the thought of handing over the reins to someone else, even for a single day. 

Magnus intended to do something about that. 

To be perfectly honest, Jace wouldn’t be, had never been, and would never be first choice in running the Institute, not even as a proxy. Isabelle, on the other hand, was leader material if Magnus ever had seen one. She didn’t want to take over of course, but once Magnus had had a serious heart-to-heart with her about Alec’s health, and his level of exhaustion, she had only shrugged and answered she had tried to get him to take some time off since forever.

So the two made a plan, and got Underhill involved too since he was one of Alec’s greatest admirers and would have done anything for him. That left Izzy in charge now with Underhill as her right hand, and Clary stood ready as backup in case Jace decided to do anything stupid. 

Alec remained unconvinced. Izzy told him she’d kick him out again should he show up within the next three days. And before Alec could open his mouth again she manhandled him around and towards the door. 

“You’re going far too hard on yourself,” Magnus told him as they had closed the door of his loft behind them.   
“It’s my job,” Alec began, “and I-”  
“You are only a man and you are not alone in this world.” Magnus led him to the couch and gestured at him to sit down. “You have people who help you. You need to give yourself a break every now and then.”

Alec fell into the couch and crossed his arms. “For what? Cocktails on a Caribbean beach?”  
“There is nothing wrong with Caribbean cocktails,” Magnus said but shook his head. “But that wasn’t what I meant. You just need a break, Alexander. A day without duties. Without work. A day to just... be.”  
“Be what? Your boyfriend?”

Magnus sighed and went down on one knee in front of him. “Be yourself, and stop defining yourself through your duties, or your roles, or other people’s expectations.”  
Alec looked at him with parted lips, but couldn’t find anything to say.

“You tend to forget that you’re neither a tool for the Clave nor everyone else’s problem solver. And that’s why, for the imminent future of your days off, I want you to be utterly and completely selfish.” Then Magnus took Alec’s hands between his own. “Let me do this for you, Alexander. Whatever you need, whatever you want, I got you.”  
“But you’re not everyone’s problem solver either,” Alec said with a frown.  
“No, indeed not.” Magnus ran his thumb over the back of Alec’s hand. “But you are shouldering far too much weight, and that is my problem, and I intend to solve it.”

Alec looked at him for a long, silent moment before a heavy sigh escaped him. His shoulders sagged and he closed his eyes. 

“I’m...” He sighed again. “I’m just tired, I guess.”  
“Then let’s get you comfortable, hmm?” Magnus got up with a smile. “Some comfy clothes,” he snapped his fingers and Alec’s clothes changed into lose sweatpants, a large hoodie, and a pair of thick fluffy socks, “a blanket,” he snapped his fingers again and a red fleece blanket draped itself around Alec’s shoulders, “and a cup of tea.” Another snap, and a steaming mug appeared on the coffee table next to the couch. 

“Up with your feet,” Magnus commanded, and Alec leaned back and stretched out his legs, and then arched his back with a groan. The crunching and popping of his vertebrae made Magnus wince. “And I prescribe a hot bath and a nice back massage after dinner.”

Alec snuggled into the heap of pillows and the blanket with a deep, content sigh. Magnus smiled and nodded to himself, then went down into a crouch next to Alec’s head. 

“What would you like for dinner?”  
“I don’t know,” Alec said and looked at him. “Why don’t you-”  
“Because I said this is about you, and I want you to be selfish.”

Alec blinked a few times, then a shy smile appeared on his face. “You really mean this, don’t you?”  
“Absolutely.” Magnus reached out and combed his fingers through Alec’s hair. “So. Dinner?”  
“Um,” Alec said and huffed out a heavy breath.   
Magnus caressed Alec’s hair with a smile.  
“I don’t…” Alec cleared his throat and hesitated for another moment. “Do you… do you remember that roast chicken we had in Bucharest?”  
“Say no more,” Magnus said brightly and got up. 

He handed Alec the mug and dropped a kiss onto his forehead before he headed for the kitchen, rubbing his hands. Alec closed his eyes and took a sip of tea, and sank further into the pillows at his back. 

They had roast chicken for dinner, and after a long, hot bath infused with herbal essences, Alec ended up on the couch again, dressed in loose and comfy clothing and wrapped in his blanket. Magnus sat down next to him and it took only a little bit of adjusting until Alec’s head was resting comfortably in Magnus’ lap. 

“Music?”   
Alec was silent for a moment. “I can’t remember… there was this one composer you showed me the other day. I think he’s Italian? It was a piece with piano and cello, I think.”  
Magnus narrowed his eyes, but then his face lit up. “Einaudi?”  
“That’s him.” Alec peeked up at Magnus through his bangs.  
“I got you,” Magnus said and snapped his fingers. 

The stereo lit up and the soft notes of a piano began to float across the room, accompanied by a cello. 

“I love this piece,” Alec muttered and closed his eyes.  
“It is beautiful,” Magnus replied softly, his eyes on Alec’s face. “It’s called Due Tramonti. It’s also a beautiful story. Einaudi’s father once saw a beautiful sunset, and because it was so beautiful he ran across the hills the sun had vanished behind, to see the sunset again.”

Alec’s only reply was a content hum as Magnus combed his fingers through his hair. Magnus smiled and gave Alec a gentle head scratch, and the humming turned into something closer to a purr. 

Magnus leaned back and smiled fondly down at Alec, watching with satisfaction as the lines slowly vanished from his forehead, and kept caressing Alec’s hair even long after he had fallen asleep.


End file.
